So many years ago
by Hikari no Donya
Summary: [Shojo-ai MM, Shonen-ai KR, YB, TZ, JO] Upon a first glance she reminded her of what she could never have. When they got a little closer, she found it wasn't so.


My first shojo-ai, and with a weird couple too. I mean I don't think it's been done before, so that's cool. The whole thing was Mirai Shinranui's fault, we got talking about it, and I felt like writing it.  
  
Anyway, seeing as she inspired it, this is dedicated to her. Enjoy.

* * *

"Trust me! You'll love her." The raven-haired teen tugged at his companion's arm, guiding her toward the park. His touch was light upon her skin, and despite knowing that he had another, she dreamed of feeling those hands trail the rest of her body.  
  
"I don't know." Mao wavered. Rei looked at her for a moment, and then ran his fingers through her hair in a soothing motion. Mao sighed, relishing in the feeling.  
  
"Imotou." Rei dislodged his fingers from her pink locks. "I'm doing this for you. You need more female friends. You can't hang around with the White Tigers all your life, have a bit of variety for once!"  
  
Mao snapped her head around. "That's easy for you to say! You have Kai, and Kai knows the Neo-Borg team, they in turn know people, and..." A single finger silenced the ranting female. She drooped her head.  
  
"Sorry, Nii-sama."  
  
"That's alright, Mao." He grasped her hand. "Now come on, they can't wait all day."  
  
They walked in silence, and Mao took the chance to glance at her surroundings. The cherry blossoms were in bloom, soft pink petals drifting down on a non-existent wind. Spring was the start of her new life, and Mao was determined to have a good shot at it.  
  
The designated meeting place was not too deep into the park, just lingering on the borders where amateur bladers chose to set up and battle for the day. The people that she recognised waiting were those who she had seen in the World Tournament years ago. Yuuri and Boris, Kai, Takao, Jan and Olivier... yet she did not recognize some people.  
  
"Rei-chan!" Mao's hand was detached from the safety and comfort of Rei's by a very tall and, if Mao said so herself, very sexy Yuuri, as he ran at the raven-haired male, encircling him in a hug.  
  
"Hey, Yuuri." Rei looped his own arms around the red-haired teen, returning the hug. They let each other go, and Yuuri cast a fleeting glance behind Rei. He smirked with evil vigour, and tapped Rei on the shoulder.  
  
"Ah, Brain, I see you brought Pinkie!" Mao flushed red as they all burst out laughing. Yuuri walked up to her and ruffled her hair. "You know I'm only messing with you, Mao." He smiled at her, and she returned it. Yuuri turned and walked back to Boris' side, and they clasped hands, if only for a second. Mao had seen it, and she knew male friends did not hold hands.  
  
"Mao, this is Zeo, Takao's current boyfriend." Rei smirked over at the navy haired teen, who blushed. Mao was confused, she was sure that Takao had been with another person when last they met.  
  
"I thought he was with that... Daichi."  
  
Rei laughed. "He was. He went out with Max for a while, but that fell through. Then he had a fleeting month's relationship with Kyouji. Oh, then Hiromi and him went strong for about a year. Daichi and Takao broke up about two weeks after you saw them. Then he met up with Zeo two months ago, and well... as you can see."  
  
"Man, Rei. You make me sound like a slut!"  
  
"That's because you are, baka." Kai snorted, and with brisk strides closed the gap between Rei and himself. He pulled his boyfriend into his arms, and cast a 'he's mine' look at the pink-haired girl.  
  
"The blue haired girl on the bench." Rei pointed in the general direction. "That's Marium."  
  
The said blue-haired girl stood at the mention of her name, and walked over to greet the only other female of the group.  
  
"You must be Mao." She stuck out her hand. Mao stared for a while, and then grasped it, giving it a gentle shake.  
  
"Yes, yes I am."  
  
"It's very nice to meet you." Their hands unclasped.  
  
"Likewise."  
  
Mao took in the others appearance. She was tall, with a lithe frame and a beautiful face. Her hair was very much like Rei's, how the bangs fell either side of her face, a white bandanna holding it away from her eyes. She was dressed in a simple white sundress that set off her curves, and Mao caught herself staring more than once.  
  
It was strange, but Marium's appearance reminded her of Rei, and of what she could never have. "So how about we go see a film then?" Rei broke the silence. Marium gave the raven haired teen a sugar coated smile, so sweet, that it looked evil.  
  
"That's an idea." The blue haired girl gestured over at a tree. "Just as soon as those two stop sucking face!"  
  
Jan and Olivier stopped their activities, and glared at Marium for breaking them up. They joined the others as chuckles broke out, and Mao decided that she liked this girl's fire. In time, they could become friends.

* * *

Mao woke up, and lifted her hand to rub at her eyes, a futile attempt to make herself less tired than she was. How strange that she had dreamt back that far, that must have happened around seven years ago, just a few weeks after her 18th birthday.  
  
She turned on her side to look at her sleeping partner, only to find that they were not asleep at all, but propped up on one arm looking straight at her.  
  
"Good morning, beautiful," they said, leaning over to place a chaste kiss on Mao's lips. Mao slid over and curled up into warm, inviting arms.  
  
"How long have you been awake?"  
  
"Long enough to know you had a nice dream." A chin rested upon the mop of pink. "Care to share?"  
  
Mao smiled. "It was of when we first met."  
  
"Ah yes, always the nice experience is that. Such a privilege that you met me." The other laughed, and snuggled up to Mao a little more. This was how they spent the mornings, curled up in each other's arms, just talking.  
  
"Mm." Mao gave a slight nod, so as to not remove the chin from its perch on her head. "I'm forever in Rei's debt, because if I hadn't gone, I might never have met you."  
  
Mao's partner let out a tut. "Oh, I don't know about never. I think it was destiny."  
  
"You can think what ever you want, we're together and that's all that matters to me."  
  
"Same here..."  
  
There was a moment of silence, and they lay content in each other's grasp, listening to the soft breathing that played a melody. Mao's holder shifted a little, and leant down to whisper in Mao's ear.  
  
"Mao, you know I'll always love you, right?" The hot breath tickled Mao's skin, and she chuckled a little, her golden gaze drifting upward to look into beautiful green eyes.  
  
"I know. I'll always love you, too."  
  
"Good."  
  
Mao's fingers found their way to the ends of blue locks, and began to twirl and rub with a gentle touch.  
  
"Why did you cut your hair, Mar?"  
  
Marium laughed. "It was something Kai said a while back, about me being a Rei clone with my hairstyle. I thought that I didn't want to be like someone else, so I got a new style."  
  
"I thought it was like Rei's, when I first saw you. It isn't." Mao stopped messing with the hair and breathed in deeply. "Nothing about you is Rei- like, you're strictly you."  
  
"Mao, you're a gem. Did you know that?" Mao shook her head in the negative, and proceeded to play with Marium's hair once again. "Thank you..."  
  
"No, thank you."

* * *

Ende.  
  
Please leave a review and tell me what you think. I know it's a little weird, but it's a sweet and fluffy couple, and I think they'd work well together. 


End file.
